It’s okay if you need extra time to study

Many people believe that failure isn’t an option. And, unfortunately, those people also view taking extra time at university as a failure. It’s not. There are many people out there who take an extra year, or maybe even two, to complete their degrees. And, while it does cost you financially, there’s nothing wrong with it. Here’s why.Studying is difficultIf getting a degree was easy, everyone who could afford one would have one. There’s a reason you have to work hard to get into varsity. Whether you’re doing law or bookkeeping courses, it takes a lot of time and energy to do well. It’s not just about remembering facts and figures, you’ve also got to theorise and make arguments. You’ve got to take the information provided, complete external research and run with it. Some people simply take a little longer to adapt to that. And that’s perfectly alright. You’ve also got to juggle a lot. Some lecturers and departments like to think they’re the only ones that matter. They pile on the assignments and deadlines but don’t realise all your other subjects are doing the same. You’re probably trying to handle a whole bunch of courses at the same time. It’s not high schoolUniversity is extremely difficult. There’s no one there to monitor your progress or force advice on you. You have to do it all on your own or ask for help. For the most part, this is a good thing; you’re an adult now, after all. But, at the same time, when you first start out you’re used to being constantly advised.If you weren’t doing well in your teens, you were called aside and told where you were going wrong. Now you have to approach a lecturer or a tutor and that can be scary when you first arrive at university. It’s not an excuse, but it contributes to difficulties you face when you move from school to tertiary education.Sometimes real life gets in the wayYou’re not only a university student, you’re also a human being. A human being with friends and family. Sometimes things go wrong. You parents may be getting a divorce or maybe someone close to you passed away. That all affects how you handle everything. You can’t focus when you’re worried about scary real life situations. Some lecturers will make allowances for this but others are a little less understanding. Taking an extra year or so to complete your studies is not an issue. It’s something many students end up doing. What matters is that you get your degree and go on to do great things.
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